Drain material for use in a water-containing poor subsoil and a method for installing said drain material therein

ABSTRACT

There are disclosed a drain material and a method of installation thereof, in which a column-shaped or rod-shaped drain member of an extremely light and continuous cellular foamed synthetic resinous material is used as a drain material for withdrawing water from the water-containing poor subsoil to improve the strength or condition of the soil, thereby providing convenience for transportation and simplicity in working. For facilitating the insertion of the drain member into the watercontaining poor subsoil, a casing pipe having a lid member at its lower end is employed. When the casing pipe is withdrawn from the water-containing poor subsoil, the drain member is pressed down either by a weight secured to the lower portion of the drain member or by compressed air pressure thereon to prevent upward shifting caused by the frictional force between the drain member and the casing pipe.

United States Patent 7 [1 9] Shimizu Mar. 19, 1974 A METHOD FORINSTALLING SAID DRAIN MATERIAL THEREIN l [75] Inventor:

[73] Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Kumagaigumi,

Fukui-ken, Japan 22 Filed; Aug. 21, 1972 21 Appl. No: 282,154

Teruo Shimizu, Tokyo, Japan [30] Foreign Application Priority Data Aug.31, 1971 Japan 46/66279 [56 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS l/l969 Hanrahan 61/10 9/1968 Rodgers 6/1965 Snow et a1. 61/63 X 3,300,987l/1967 Maeda 61/63 Primary Examiner-Jacob Shapiro Attorney, Agent, orFirm-George B. Oujevolk 57 V ABSTRACT There are disclosed a drainmaterial and a method of installation thereof, in which a column-shapedor rodshaped drain member of an extremely light and continuous cellularfoamed synthetic resinous material is used as a drain material forwithdrawing water from the water-containing poor subsoil to improve thestrength or condition of the soil, thereby providing convenience fortransportation and simplicity in working. For facilitating the insertionof the drain member into the water-containing poor subsoil, a casingpipe having a-lid member at its lower end is employed. When the casingpipe is withdrawn frornthe watercontaining poor subsoil, the drainmember is pressed down, either by a weight secured to the lower portionof the drain member or by compressed air pressure thereon to preventupward shifting caused by the frictional force between the drain memberand the casing pipe.

7 Claims, 15 Drawing Figures PATENTED MAR 19 I974 SHEEI 1 OF 4 FIG.

FIG.I 'FIG.2

FIG. 5

FIG. 6

FIG. 9

PIE IEO IIAR 1 9 I914 sum 2 or 4 FIG. 8

FIG. 7

PATENTEBIAR 19 I974 SHEET 3 0F 4 FIG. l2

FIG. IO

DRAIN MATERIAL FOR USE IN A WATER-CONTAINING POOR SUBSOIL AND A METHODFOR INSTALLING SAID DRAIN MATERIAL THEREIN 1. Field of the Invention Thepresent invention relates to a new drain material for withdrawing waterfrom a high water-containing poor subsoil to improve the strength orcondition of the soil and a new method for installing the drain materialin the water-containing poor subsoil.

2. Description of the Prior Art In a high water-containing poor subsoil,because of poor load bearing capacity, construction of buildings orother structures is impossible. To accomodate erection of suchstructures thereon, an arrangement for improving the strength of thesoil such as withdrawing water from the water-containing poor subsoil isrequired.

At present, the method for withdrawing water from the water-containingpoor subsoil is by using an elongated tube made of a porous fabricmaterial having a high strength and blocked at least at its lower end,the elongated tube being filled with sand to form a drain member, andthe drain member being driven into the hole is the water-containing poorsubsoil. Withdrawal of water from the soil is performed through saiddrain member. i v

The known method in which sand is used as a drain material, however, hasdefects in that use of a large quantity of heavy sand not only entailstransportion costs but also is troublesome in working; and the use ofthe porous fabric material is comparatively expensive, because theporous fabric material for forming the elongated tube is required tohave high strength sufficiently durable against the load of the largequantity of heavy sand, and is uneconomical, because the elongatedfabric tube must be left in the subsoil, without being recovered.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The principal object of the present inventionis to provide a drain material for use in a water-containing poorsubsoil, wherein a continuous cellular foamed synthetic resinousmaterial of an extremely light weight as compared with sand is used as adrain material, thereby providing conveniencefor transportation andsimplicity in working. g I

Another object of the present invention is to provide a drain materialfor use in a water-containing poor subsoil and a method for installingthis drain material, wherein a column-shaped or rod-shaped drain memberof a light continuous cellular foamed synthetic resinous material isplaced within a casing pipe having a lid member at its lower end, to bedriven into the water containing poor subsoil, so that the insertion ofthe light drain memberinto the soil is facilitated.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a drainmaterialfor use in a water-containing poor subsoil and a method for installingsaid drain material therein, wherein, when a casing pipe is withdrawnfrom the water-containing poor subsoil, the drain member is pressed downeither by gravity of a weight secured to the lower portion of .the drainmember or by both gravity of weight and compressed air pressure, so thatan upward shift of the drain member together with the casing pipe isprevented.

A still further object of the present invention is to a provide a drainmaterial for use in a water-containing poor subsoil and a method forinstalling said drain material therein, wherein a lid member is mountedrotatably at one side portion thereof by a horizontal axle onto a lowerportion of the casing pipe, said lid member being opened automaticallydue to the soil resistance acting thereon and maintained at the openedposition, when the casing pipe is withdrawn from the watercontainingpoor subsoil.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIGS. 1 and 2 are perspective viewseach showing a colummshaped drain member of a continuous cellular foamedsynthetic resinous material;

FIG. 3 is a side view of a casing pipe having a lid member at its lowerportion;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged side view showing a lower portion of thecasingpipe;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged front view showing the lower portion of the casingpipe;

FIG. 6 is a bottom view showing the lid member of the casing pipe in theclosed position;

FIGS. 7 through 10 are longitudinal sectional side views showing theorder of installation of the drain member;

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view, taken along the line I-I of FIG. 8;

FIG. 12 is a longitudinal sectional side view of the casing pipe in thestage of withdrawing, said casing pipe being withdrawn, with the drainmember being prevented from shifting upwardly by the weight andcompression air pressure;

FIG. 13 is an enlarged view of an upper portion of FIG. l2; and,

FIG. 14 and 15 are cross-sectional views exemplifying the shape of acasing pipe and a drain member to be accommodated therein.

DETAIL ION OF THE INVENTION Drain members 1 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2respectively are made of a continuous cellular foamed synthetic resinousmaterial. The drain member 1 of FIG. 1 is formed into an elongatedcolumn shape of a circular cross-section and has the dimension whichranges,

for example, from 50 to 120 mm in diameter and from i 8 to 15 m in thelongitudinal length. The drain member 1 in FIG. 2 is 'formed into anelongated column shape of a square cross-section, each side length ofwhich is, for example, from 50 to 100 mm, and has the longitudinallength, for example, from 8 to 15 m i g A continuous cellular foam edsynthetic resinous material available for use in forming the drainmember is, for example, a polyurethane sheet having a void spacepercentage from to percent.

FIGS. 3 through 6 show a casing pipe having a lid member at its lowerportion, wherein a square-shaped steel lid member 3 is pivotally mountedat a side portion thereof by a horizontal axle onto a lower portion of acasing pipe shaped into a circular cross-sectional tube of steel, saidsquare-shapedllid member having each side length substantially equal toan outer diameter of the casing pipe. Said casing pipe has an upperportion provided with holesS through which suspension hooks are to beengaged.

A circular cross-sectional steel' tube is available for use as thecasing pipe, said steel casing pipe having dimension such as, forexample, 80 to mm in inner diameter, 6 to 9 mm in a wall thickness and 9to 16 m in the longitudinal length.

FIGS. 7 through 11 show a method for installing said drain member in thewater-containing poor subsoil. As seen in FIG. 7, the casing pipe 2 isdriven into the water-containing poor subsoil 7 by blows of a vibrator6, with said lid member of the casing pipe being kept in the closedposition. After the casing pipe 2 is driven in the subsoil 7 to apredetermined depth, the vibrator 6 is removed fromthe upper portion ofthe casing pipe 2.

As shown in FIGS. 8 through 11, a weight 8 such as a concrete block or asteel block is connected by a piece of wire or fibrous cord 10 to thelower portion of the elongated column-shaped drain member 1 of acontinuous cellular foamed synthetic resinous material, and anotherpiece of fibrous cord 10 is connected to the upper portion of said drainmember. Thus, the drain member 1 is caused to be inserted from aboveinto the casing pipe 2.

As seen in FIG. 9, suspension hooks 11 connected to the lower portion ofthe vibrator 6 are fitted in the holes provided on the upper portion ofthe casing pipe 2. Subsequently, the casing pipe 2 is caused to bewithdrawn from the water-containing poor subsoil 7 by a rope 12 of ahoist with vibration being given by the vibrator 6, and thereupon, thelid member 3 is caused to automatically rotate in a vertical positiondue to the soil resistance acting thereon, so that the lower end of thecasing pipe is rendered open. In the meantime, gravity of the weight 8is exerted upon the drain member 1 around its lower portion, therebypreventing the upward shift of the drain member 1 due to the frictionalforce between the casing pipe and the drain member, and hence, thecasing pipe 2 alone is withdrawn from the subsoil. Said drain member 1which comes out of the lower end of the casing pipe is brought intocontact with the soil. When the casing pipe 2 is completely withdrawnfrom the soil, the situation as shown in FIG. is obtained.

According to the installation method as disclosed in the foregoingpassages, a large number of drain members are installed in thewater-containing poor subsoil 7. After that, the load of sand is placedon the surface of the water-containing poor subsoil, whereby watercontained in the poor subsoil 7 is withdrawn upwardly through respectivedrain members 1.

Respective members actually used in the embodiment of FIGS. 7 through 11 each have the following dimensions: l. A drain member:

A. A material:

polyurethane sheet.

B. a space rate: 85

C. A side length in a square cross-section:

timeters square.

A continuous cellular foamed 8 cen- D. A longitudinal length: 15 m 2. Acasing pipe:

A. An inner diameter: 120 mm B. A wall thickness: 9 mm C. A longitudinallength: 16 m 3. A weight: 2 kg. 4. Horse Power of Vibrator: 40 kw FIGS.12 and 13 show the casing pipe in the stage of withdrawing, i.e. whereinthe casing pipe is being withdrawn, and both gravity of the weight andcompressed air pressure are exerted upon the drain member to press downthe member. In the drawings, a cap 13 is fixed by bolts 14 to the upperportion of the casing pipe 2, while the fibrous cord-10 connected to theupper portion of the drain member 1 is inserted through the hole 5provided at the cap 13, to which a compressed air feed pipe 15 is alsoconnected. The weight 8 is connected to the lower portion of the drainmember 1.

The drain member 1 is pressed down by both the gravity of the weight 8and the compressed air pressure of 2 kg/cm to 7 kg/cm being fed throughthe compressed air feed pipe 15, thereby preventing from upwardshifting, while said drain member 1 is carried at its upper portion bythe fibrous cord 10, to thereby be held in place, without being forceddownward due to the compressed air pressure to be fed thereto. Thus, thecasing pipe 2 is withdrawn from the water-containing poor subsoil by therope 12 of the hoist with vibration being given by the vibrator 6.

FIGS. 14 and 15 are cross-sectional views, each showing the relationshipbetween the drain member and the casing pipe. In the example of FIG. 14,both the drain member 1 and the casing pipe 2 each have a circularcross-section, while in that of FIG. 15, either of them has a squarecross-section.

The embodiments as disclosed are merely examples of this invention, andchanges or modifications on design or construction may be made withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:. a

l. A-method for installing a drain-material in a poor subsoil whichcontains waterso as to drain the subsoil of the water, comprising thesteps of:

a. driving vertically downwards through the soil to the subsoil anelongated casing having a lid with one portion of the lid pivoted to oneend of said casing so that said lid is at the bottom and an open end ofthe casing is at the top, said lid having at least a secondportion-substantially opposite said pivoted portion extending outwardsfrom the circumference of said lid in a plane substantially normal tothe direction of elongation of said casing, there being inserted intosaid casing a continuous cellular foamed synthetic resinous drainmaterial; and,

b. withdrawing the casing from the subsoil, the pressure of said subsoilon said extending portion causing the lid to pivot open, so that saidcasing can be slipped out of the subsoil and soil leaving the drainmaterial in place extending from the subsoil to the soil.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said casing is first insertedinto the subsoil and said drain materialis then placed into said casing.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said drain material is firstinserted into said casing and said casing together with said drain isinserted into said subsoil.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein simultaneously with thewithdrawal of said casing, compressed air is directed from above ontosaid drain material to maintain said drain material in place during theremoval of said casing.

5. A- method as claimed in claim 2 wherein simultaneously with thewithdrawal of said casing, compressed air is directed from above ontosaid drain material to maintain said drain material in place during theremoval of said casing.

7. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein a weight is placed at thebottom of said drain material prior to being inserted into said casingso as to maintain said drain material in place during removal of saidcasing. k

1. A method for installing a drain material in a poor subsoil whichcontains water so as to drain the subsoil of the water, comprising thesteps of: a. driving vertically downwards through the soil to thesubsoil an elongated casing having a lid with one portion of the lidpivoted to one end of said casing so that said lid is at the bottom andan open end of the casing is at the top, said lid having at least asecond portion substantially opposite said pivoted portion extendingoutwards from the circumference of said lid in a plane substantiallynormal to the direction of elongation of said casing, there beinginserted into said casing a continuous cellular foamed syntheticresinous drain material; and, b. withdrawing the casing from thesubsoil, the pressure of said subsoil on said extending portion causingthe lid to pivot open, so that said casing can be slipped out of thesubsoil and soil leaving the drain material in place extending from thesubsoil to the soil.
 2. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein saidcasing is first inserted into the subsoil and said drain material isthen placed into said casing.
 3. A method as claimed in claim 1 whereinsaid drain material is first inserted into said casing and said casingtogether with said drain is inserted into said subsoil.
 4. A method asclaimed in claim 1 wherein simultaneously with the withdrawal of saidcasing, compressed air is directed from above onto said drain materialto maintain said drain material in place during the removal of saidcasing.
 5. A method as claimed in claim 2 wherein simultaneously withthe withdrawal of said casing, compressed air is directed from aboveonto said drain material to maintain said drain material in place duringthe removal of said casing.
 6. A method as claimed in claim 3 whereinsimultaneously with the withdrawal of said casing, compressed air isdirected from above onto said drain material to maintain said drainmaterial in place during the removal of said casing.
 7. A method asclaimed in claim 1 wherein a weight is placed at the bottom of saiddrain material prior to being inserted into said casing so as tomaintain said drain material in place during removal of said casing.